If you receive an offer from this company, please strongly consider your options.
Perhaps other teams are different, but my experience with the Insights team under Market Research was very negative. The leadership structure was disorganized and unproductive, which is excused under the guise of “running like a startup”. Seriously? This company is 20 years old.
On meetings people bounce around ideas, completely go over the allotted time, and leave the meeting with no plan to make said ideas actually happen. There is no delegation, follow up or direction to complete projects. Just hold more meetings to brainstorm more ideas for reporting metrics!
Propositions to collaborate with others such as Sales Reps to understand their business and gain insights from them directly (instead of sitting on calls, speaking for them and making it up along the way) was met with “we don’t really do that” and “we already know what they need”. I guess you can’t appear busy by having brainstorming meetings all day if you actually collaborate to solve problems!
Communication across individuals and teams is disjointed. It is so unclear who is working on what, that several people spend hours working on something which already exists, or another coworker is already doing.
Expectations and deadlines are vague. You may be told a specific deadline for something, then reprimanded when not done earlier. Understandably businesses have shifting priorities so employees could need to recalibrate, but you will not even be TOLD that something is needed sooner- Just called into a surprise meeting and criticized publicly for not reading your boss’s mind.
Moreover, my manager provided all direction in the form of informal verbal communication or individual messages via chat. This seems intentional, as attempts to put communication in a central location with specific tasks, owners and deadlines listed was met with resistance. HUGE RED FLAG! Typically when a manager behaves this way, it’s is because having things in writing eliminates their ability to blame shift once they get heat from THEIR boss.
Employees seemed uncomfortable asking this guy for direction, and instead would try to guess what was needed, which would inevitably end up being wrong. I now see why they were so skittish about speaking up, as requests for clarity were met with contempt and potential retaliation by firing.
If you are someone who actually likes to solve problems, this company is not likely a fit. There is a very top down culture where leadership does not receive suggestions or requests for clarity without taking it personal. They do not seem to actually want to achieve goals or solve problems- just sit on calls and “brainstorm” all day. Inevitably you will burn out or be let go without warning.
If you value communication, collaboration, honesty or accountability this might not be the place for you. If you accept an offer, certainly keep your irons in the fire applying for other jobs on the side for when this one doesn’t work out.
I had a bad feeling about this place the minute they made an offer. Should have listened to my gut.
